Silent screen with an orchestra setting the mood.
Chester, CH1 1HB
Original owners: Glynn Animated Picture Company. Partners- Glynn Hill, G.E. Bulford.
Architects: Marshall & Muspratt Partnership.
Date opened: Saturday 19th June 1911.
Opened by: The Deputy Mayor of Chester, Alderman Richard Cecil Davies.
The first General Manager: Charles Powell.
Total seating capacity: (stalls & balcony) – 750 seats
Taken over by GTC: May 1928.
Date closed: Saturday 5th September 1931.
Final General Manager: Fred Rowley.
Façade extant. Auditorium demolished. Extension built on. Present use..Retail.
Few people know the whereabouts of this silent cinema. Amazingly the black-and-white vernacular frontage can still be seen. It is nearly opposite Parker’s Buildings in Foregate Street.
Glynn Hill and G.E. Bulford who formed the Glynn Animated Picture Company commissioned architects, Marshall & Muspratt Partnership, to design this 750 seat cinema that would also serve as the main office of the company. The name Glynn was the first name of one of it’s founders- Glynn Hill. Other cinemas the company owned were the Central Cinema, Shrewsbury and the Glynn Cinema Wrexham. The construction was considered to be basic, having a metal corrugated roof. the rectangular auditorium block extended to Forest Street.
The opening of the Glynn Picture Hall was performed by Chester’s Deputy Mayor, Alderman Richard Cecil Davies on Monday 19th June 1911. The first film shown was ‘Sixtus the Fifth’.
Live music that accompanied the silent films was provided by the resident Hillman and the Glynn orchestra. Charles Powell was appointed as the first General Manager.
Later the cinema was re-named, the Glynn Picture House. Changes of management took place in 1923 when W.E. & J. Taplin took control. followed by the acquisition by General Theatres in 1928. Eventually it was absorbed into the Gaumont British Theatres circuit.
In its heyday, the Glynn was described as “A High Class Entertainment of Animated Pictures”. The final film shown was ‘Lure Of The South Seas’ on 5th September 1931.
The final manager Fred Rowley and his chief projectionist, Fred Dickenson, transferred to the newly built Gaumont Palace Cinema in Brook Street, as the Glynn was closed down by it’s new owners who had built the Gaumont.
Fred Rowley became manager. He was transferred to the Gaumont Palace in Brook Street after the Glynn’s closure, which had opened a few months earlier.
Present day photograph of the Glynn cinema
Fred Rowley The final manager of the Glynn
It was then used for a number of different purposes; Fruit and Veg Market, Car Sales etc. In December 1995 when occupied by Why Cash and Carry a major fire broke out around 5 pm. The building was engulfed, requiring ten Fire Engines and 2 Aerial Platforms. The building stretched almost to Forest Street at the rear but the fire was contained and there were no injuries.
Just the frontage of this cinema survives.
Local newspaper advert for the Glynn cinema. January 1915
The Glynn cinema in WREXHAM
Go to the history page to read the full account of this silent gem
If you have any further information on the GLYNN, or know of anyone who was employed there, please contact us.